Erling Haaland Calls Lionel Messi "the Best That Has Ever Played" and Suggests He Could Win Yet Another Ballon d'Or

Erling Haaland has admitted that it might be difficult for any player to win the Ballon d'Or ahead of Lionel Messi while the Argentina legend is still playing.

Haaland came second behind Messi in the 2023 Ballon d'Or vote in October. Messi has now won the award eight times.

Messi then also beat Haaland to win The Best FIFA Men's Player award in January.

Haaland missed out on those two major individual awards despite scoring 52 goals in 53 games in his debut season with Manchester City, who won the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League treble.

The Norwegian has netted 28 times in 31 City appearances so far this season and is likely to be among the contenders for the 2024 Ballon d'Or.

Erling Haaland pictured speaking on stage at the 2023 Ballon d'Or awards ceremony, where he was beaten to the main prize by Lionel Messi but received the Gerd Muller Trophy for being the Striker of the Year

IMAGO/Xinhua/Gao Jing

But Haaland was asked during a press conference on Tuesday if 36-year-old Messi had to retire for him to be able to win the top individual awards.

He replied: "Good question. I don't know. I've won it all [in terms of team trophies with Manchester City] but I'm only 23, so I want to win it all again.

"Messi is the best that has ever played, maybe he has to retire for someone else to be regarded as the best."

Barcelona legend Messi is currently playing in the USA with Inter Miami after joining the Major League Soccer side from Paris Saint-Germain in July 2023.

Messi has so far scored 14 goals in 17 games for Miami - including two in last week's 5-0 win over Orlando City.

Inter Miami captain Messi pictured lifting his latest Ballon d'Or trophy at a celebration event in Florida last year

IMAGO/Icon Sportswire/Doug Murray

Haaland was speaking this week on the eve of City's UCL round of 16 second leg against FC Copenhagen.

He also revealed during Tuesday's press conference that Copenhagen rejected the chance to sign him in 2016 following a trial.

"Sad for them, but maybe good for me because I went to Molde and it was a good choice," he said.